Adult STS Lesson 221 – Paul’s Voyage to Rome (Acts 27-28)

Memory Verse: “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship” (Acts 27:22).

Text: Acts 27:1-44; 28:1-31

The uproar that greeted Paul’s preaching in Jerusalem had provoked intense opposition from the Jewish mob and the Sanhedrin. He was arrested, tried before Felix and Festus, and when he perceived that Festus lacked the will to do justice, he appealed to Caesar. This study follows the events of that consequential journey — the storms, the shipwreck, the island of Melita, and the final arrival in Rome — and draws out the lessons God placed in every stage of the way. It follows directly from Adult STS Lesson 220 – Defence of Paul Before the Roman Rulers and concludes the Acts of the Apostles series that began with Adult STS Lesson 204 – Paul’s First Missionary Journey.

1. The Route to Rome and Paul’s Counsel for Safety (Acts 27:1-44)

The journey to Rome started from Caesarea through Sidon, Cyprus, the cities of Myra and Lycia in Asia Minor, and Lasea in Crete. Before things worsened, Paul gave a clear warning: the weather was unfavourable and they should wait in Crete. “Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul” (Acts 27:11). They pressed on — and ran directly into Euroclydon, a violent and destructive storm. The ship was driven by the wind. They lightened it by throwing cargo overboard. The crew despaired. Nobody ate for days. Hope evaporated.

Into that despair, Paul stood and spoke. His counsel was clear: be of good cheer, for God had assured him that not one life would be lost, and “it shall be even as it was told me” (verse 25). He could say this because he had received direct assurance from God the night before. An angel had stood by him and said: “Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee” (Acts 27:23-24).

A direct, maintained personal relationship with God produces exactly this: a calm centre in the middle of chaos. Paul did not panic because he had heard from heaven. He did not hide his identity either — in the most desperate moment of the voyage, he proved to everyone on board that he served a living God. When communities are in crisis, the church should be the source of hope, not an echo of despair.

When the ship drifted toward land after fourteen days, some crew members tried to escape on a smaller boat under the pretence of casting anchors. Paul warned the centurion: “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved” (verse 31). The soldiers intervened and cut the ropes. Paul also pleaded with everyone to eat — the first meal in fourteen days. He prayed over the food, gave thanks, and distributed it. The result: all 276 people were revived and in good cheer.

The ship ran aground and broke apart in the surf. Every single person made it to shore — some swimming, some on planks, some on broken pieces of the ship. Every word God had spoken through Paul came to pass. When we walk faithfully with God, His promises extend to those around us. As He promised the Philippian jailor: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

2. Paul’s Ministry to the Barbarians at Melita (Acts 28:1-15)

By divine providence, the survivors landed on an island called Melita (present-day Malta). The native people — called Barbarians because they spoke neither Greek nor Latin — showed remarkable kindness. They lit a fire in the cold and rain and received every survivor without distinction. Christians should learn from this. Compassion does not require prior relationship. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).

Paul, never idle, joined others in gathering wood for the fire. As he added sticks to the flames, a viper shot out from the heat and fastened itself to his hand. The Barbarians concluded Paul must be a murderer — the sea had failed to kill him, but justice had caught up. Paul simply shook the creature into the fire and felt nothing. The promise held: “They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them” (Mark 16:18).

Publius, the island’s chief official, welcomed Paul into his home for three days. His father was sick with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and laid hands on him. He was healed. Word spread immediately, and the rest of the sick on the island were brought to Paul — and healed. Miracles open doors that arguments cannot. Paul and his company stayed on the island for three months through the winter. When they left, the Barbarians loaded them with everything they needed for the journey.

3. Paul’s Ministry in Rome (Acts 28:16-31)

Rome was the capital of the world — a city of 1.5 million people, built on seven hills, connected to every corner of the empire by roads that made “all roads lead to Rome” more than a figure of speech. For the gospel to impact the world of that era, Rome could not be bypassed.

As a prisoner, Paul was permitted to live in a private rented house with only one soldier guarding him. Three days after arriving, he called the Jewish leaders in Rome to meet him. His first aim was to clear any prejudice: his imprisonment was not because he had wronged Israel or its customs, but because of his witness to the hope of Israel — the resurrection of Christ. “For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain” (Acts 28:20).

On the appointed day, they came in numbers to his house and Paul expounded Scripture from morning until evening — “persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets” (verse 23). The response was what it had always been: some believed, some did not. The rejection of some does not end the advance of the Word.

Paul stayed two full years in that rented house, receiving everyone who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching about Jesus Christ “with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (verse 31). During those two years he wrote Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy. He mentored Timothy, Luke, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Mark, and many others. What appeared to be confinement was one of the most productive seasons of his entire ministry. God turns adversity into opportunity when His servants refuse to be defeated by circumstances.

Conclusion

The challenge Paul’s example places before believers and ministers today is simple and direct: use every situation, every room, every relationship, every season — to publish the gospel of grace. This brings to a close the remarkable journey that Paul began in his First Missionary Journey and carried through his farewell to the Ephesians, his trial before the Sanhedrin, and his defence before the Roman rulers — to this final chapter in Rome, where the gospel arrived unstoppable.

---

Questions for Review

1. How was it possible for Paul to demonstrate courage and confidence throughout the voyage to Rome?
2. What assurance do we have that God’s promises will be fulfilled in our lives?
3. What can believers learn from Paul and his company staying three months in Melita during winter?
4. What are the duties of church members toward faithful ministers of the gospel?
5. Why was it necessary for Paul to send for the Jewish leaders in Rome to explain his imprisonment?
6. What should be our attitude when the gospel message we preach is not received by our hearers?
7. What challenge does Paul’s ministry in Rome pose to believers and ministers of the gospel today?

© InspiringAlways.com. For personal devotion, Sunday School, and small group use. Share freely with attribution.

Read more at: www.inspiringalways.com